Indicator mechanism for restrictive voting.



I. A. EUILER.

INDICATOR MECHANISM FOR I-IIISIRICTIVE VOTING.

APPLICATION mm HELPS. 1912.

1,155,041 Patented Sept. 28, 1915.

JAMES A. BUTLER, 0F WINTHROP, l /TASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICAN VGTING' IVEACHINE COMPANY, OF BOSTUN, MASSACHUSETTS, A CUR-PO'RATION G1" MAINE.

INDICATOR MEGHi'lNTSll/I FOR RESTEZCTIVE VOTING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 2?), 1915.

Application filed December 26, 1912. Serial 1% 0. 738,770.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, JAMns A. BUTLER, resident of l/Vinthrop, in the county of fluffolk and State of h Tassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tndicator Mechanisms for Restrictive Voting, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to indicating mechanism in combination and cooperative relation with registering machines, particularly voting machines. Tn the use of voting machines it is desirable that the machine be adaptablefor restrictive voting a. (2., it should have provision for being set at will so that a voter can only vote for certain selective candidates, groups of candidates, or propositions, out of the total numher which the machine carries. This is especially the case in adapting the machine for uses in primary voting where it is usually required to be set so that a voter can only vote for candidates of the party in which he is regularly enrolled, and another illustration of the use of this feature is in those cases where Women are allowed to vote for certain candidates but not for all.-

Tn the case of voting at primaries especially, it is desirable that the machine should show plainly and conspicuously what class of can didates i. 0., for what party it is set so that the proper persons. or authorities can be made certain that the voter is voting for candidates within the party under which he is enrolled. In certain standard and approved types of voting machines the machine is set and arrangedfor the-desired restrictive voting by a locking bar slidably mounted usually in ,horizontalposition in an upper part of the machine; this bar having provision as it is moved endwise to a greater or less extent t6 lock certain selective por-' tions of the vote registering mechanism while leaving other portions unlocked so that at the different stages of its endwise Inovement'it is adapted to provide any solective and restrictive voting combinations desired. The present invention provides mechanism cooperatively connected with such locking bar whereby visible and con- 'spicuous indication is given at each stage of the locking bar movement, of the particular class of restrictive voting for which the machine is set at that particular time.

The invention will be better understood from the following detail description taken in connection with the accompanying draw lngs and will be thereafter pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation showing my invention with a part of the machine housing shown in section; Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 22 of 1; Fig. 3 is an elevation with parts broken away to show the indicating device proper; Fig. is a fragmentary view partly in elevation and partly in section showing the connections to the locking bar and a part of'the bar itself; and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail elevation showing the external provision for applying an operating device.

A part of a voting machine housing is in dicated at 10 and a door is indicated at 11 hinged to the housing at 12. The locking bar which is mounted for horizontal sliding movement in an upper part of the machine housing is indicated at 13, the detailed construction or" this bar and the manner in which it controls the machine for restrictive voting forming no part of the present invention. To complete the showing of an illustrative form of such locking bar with its coiiperating parts so far as desirable for the purpose of the present case T refer to Patent No. H2278, issued October 27, 1903. This bar is moved endwise to position it for the various restrictive classes of voting desired by a suitable operating device shown as a screw or worm l t in threaded engagement with an offset extremity of the bar as seen at 15, the inner endof this screw having bearing in a suitable support 16 and its outer end having hearing as at 17 in the ma chine housing. This screw has fixed thereto a pinion 18 meshing with a gear wheel 19 which alongwith another gear wheel 20 is keyed or similarly fixed to a stud shaft 21 journaled in the housing and having a kerf head 22 or equivalent provision for receiving an operating device. The pinion 20 meshes with a gear wheel 23 on a stud shaft 2i and this gear wheel has engaged therewith a rack 25 at the upper end of a rod 26 slidably guided in bearings 27 on the hens ing, near the side of the housing adjacent the hinge connection of the door therewith.

The rod 26 has adjustably fixed thereto a laterally extending arm 28 which has a loose fit as at 29 in a lateral ofi'set 30 of an arm 31 pivotedat 32 to the door of the machine which carries a gear segment member 33 meshing with a pinion 34c pivotally mounted at and carrying a large indicating disk 36 which has a series of pockets or holders 3'? adapted to receive the distinguishing designations for the several restrictive classes of voting for which the machine is adapted to be set. The door 11 of the machine is provided with a side opening 38.tlrrough which the proper one of such designations is visible for indicating the setting of the machine at any particular time. Thus the manipulation necessary for setting the locking bar to proper position for any desired class of voting is operative to actuate the in dicating device which is most conveniently positioned on the door of the machine and the operation of such indicating device is in nowi'se affected or interfered with by the opening and closing of the door; it being in fact adapted to operate quite as well with the door partly or Wholly opened as when it is closed.

I do not desire to be limited to the precise structural details shown since I am aware that these can be considerably modified without departing from the spirit of the invention and I therefore refer to the ap pended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent is: I

1. Apparatus of the kind described, comprising a member having connections arranged to lock a registering mechanism for selective registering, an' operating device for said member, and indicating means connected to be controlled by said operating device, having provision consisting of legible characters respectively distinctive of selective classes of registration to disclose conspicuously the character of selective registratlon for which the apparatus 1s set, by brmgmg a selected one of said characters into view or distinctive position.

2. Apparatus of the kind described, comprising a lockingbar having connections arranged to restrictively control a registering mechanism, means for moving said bar endwise, and a visual indicator in geared connection with said means having provision consisting of legible characters respectively distinctive of selective classes of registration to indicatethe character of restrictive registering for which the apparatus is set, by bringing a selected one of said characters into view or distinctive position.

3. Apparatus of the kind described, comprising a locking bar having connections arranged to lock a registering mechanism for restrictive registering, a threaded member for moving said bar endwise, operating means for turning said member, and an indicating disk in geared connection with said operating means having provision to conspicuously indicate the character of restric-v tive registering for which the apparatus is set.

4. Apparatus of the lrind described comprising a locking bar for setting a registering mechanism for restrictive registering, operating means for said bar, an indicator, and connecting means from said operating means to said indicator including a reciprocating rack and a swinging arm having a connection therewith permitting angular displacement for the purpose stated.

5. Apparatus of the kind described comprising a locking bar for setting a registering mechanism for restrictive registering, means for moving said bar endwise, an operating device, and an indicator to denote the character of restrictive registration, said operating device and indicatorbeing mounted, one on a casing of the apparatus and the other on a door thereof with connecting means adapted to remain in operative relation as the door is swung.

6. Apparatus of the kind described comprising av locking bar for the purpose stated, operating means for setting said bar in different positions of endwise adjustment, said parts being arranged in a housing of the machine, and an indicator to denote the character of restrictive registration for which the machine is set, mounted on a swinging door of the machinewith operating connections to said operating means carried partly by said door and partly in'the housing.v

In testimony whereof I have aiiixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES A. BUTLER.

Witnesses D. H. DONOVAN WM. E. Au'rnn 

